The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-08-12
A Father Who Killed the lr.sas
of His Child is Acquitted by an
English Jury.

OA Ills SAAAAu Is Acquitted by an
English Jury.
Compiled from the first volume 81 Hupm..
Howe Bancroft's Popular Tribunal.
Staid old England, that has so Oft.
en- raised its hands in horror at tho
methods of justice pursued in Amer.
ca, has itself sometimes broken the
cold forms OF law and given true ius.
tice a chance. Some thirty years apo
the case Of George Hammond came Ia
trial at the Old Bailey in London, be-
fore Lord Chief Justice Tindal. The
prisoner, who was a portrait painter,
was brought TO the bar to answer Ia
the charge Of wilful murder which had
been found against him by the grand
jury. With malice aforethought he
had slain a rope-dancer and mounte.
bank. The prisoner was a man ofmid.
die height and slender form; his ewes
were blue and mild. His whole being
gave evidence of subdued sadness and
melancholy resignation. He was Al
years OF age. His soft voice, his man
Der. and appearance were testimony
Of his being a man ofteellng and refine.
ment IN spite of the poverty OF his
dress.
On being called to plead, the prison.
er admitted that he had killed Sald.
win and he deplored the act; but, he
added, however, on his soul end con.
science that he did not believe him.
self to be guilty. Thereupon a Jury
vas impaneled to try the prisoner.
The indictment was read TO the jury,
and, as the act OF killing was admitted,
the Government rested their case and
the prisoner was called upon for his
defense.
The prisoner then addressed him.
self to the Court and jury: 'My lord,
my justification is to be found in q
recital OF the facts. Three years ago
l lost a daughter, then 4 years of age,
the sole memorial OF a beloved
vie, whom it pleased God
to recall to himself. / lost my
child; but / did not see her die. She
was an angel, and beside her Ihadno.
body in the world to love. Gentle
men, what I have suffered can not be
described; you can not comprehend it.
l expended in advertising and fruit
less search everything | possessed,
furniture, pictures and even my
clothes. All have been sold. For
three years, on foot, / have sought
my child in all cities and all the vii
lagos of the three Kingdoms. As soon
as by painting protraits Ihaye sue
ceeded in gaining a little money, | re-
turned to re-commence my advertis-
ing in the newspapers. At length on
Friday, the 4th of April last, ] cross
ed the Smithsfield cattle market. In
the centre o. the market q troupe Of
mountebanLS were performing their
feats. Among them a child was turn
ing on it's head it's legs in the air and
its head supported by q hGlbert. A
ray from the soul of its mother must
have penetrated my own for me to
have recognized my child in that
condition. It was, indeed, my
poor child. Her mother would
have clasped her to her heart had she
been there. AS for me, a veil passed
over my eyes. / threw myself upon
the chief of the ro~pe-dancers. knew
not how it was; I, habitually gentle
even to weakness, seized him by the
clothes; / raised him in the air and
dashed him to the ground Then
again. He was dead. Afterwards | re-
pented what ! had done. AT that
moment regretted that | was only
able to kill but one"
aaThese are not Christian senti.
ments," replied the chief justice; "hoW
can you expect the court and jury
to lead with favor upon your defense,
to God to pardon you, II you can Q
orgive?"
II know, my lord" continued the
prisoner, what will be your Judge
ment and that Of the jury, but God
has already pardoned me, | feel It
my heart. You know not, / knew not
then the full extent OF the evil that
man had done. When some compass
sionate people brought me my daugh-
ter in my prison she was no longer
my child, she was no longer pure
angelic as formerly; she was corrupt
ed, body and soul; her manner, her
language, infamous like those q rne
people with whom she had beeniivlng-
She did not recognize me, and no
longer recognized her myself. Do you
comprehend me now2 That man 9
robbed me Of the love and soul Of my
child, and | have killed him but once
The foreman now spoke: my lord'
we have agreed on our verdict"
II understand you, gentlemen" an
swered the chief Justice, "but the law
must take it's course; | must sum sup
the case, and then you will retire 70
deliberate" The chieE Justice SUMMED
up the case and the jnry retired. IA
a momea5 they returned into court
aoain NTH Ana verdict M FfNnk pniity."